Portraits of a King - Jesus Serves

As we continue our Lenten journey toward Easter, we turn our attention to a striking portrait of Jesus in John 13—kneeling, apron-clad, and washing the feet of his disciples. This is no ordinary act of hospitality. It’s a profound disruption of social norms, a voluntary reversal of power and status, and a love-soaked redefinition of leadership and community. Jesus, fully aware of his authority and origin, chooses to serve in a way that would have shocked his contemporaries. In doing so, he not only reveals the heart of God but offers a pattern for us to live by: a love that is voluntary, communal, and embodied. This kind of love doesn’t just inform our beliefs; it forms our identity.